ELLIOT EMBLETON returns to Sunderland's starting line-up for tonight's home game with West Brom - but there is still no place in the squad for striker Ross Stewart.

Embleton replaces Jack Clarke in the only change to the side that started the 3-0 win over Millwall that marked Sunderland's return to action after the World Cup break.

Clarke drops down to the substitutes' bench, but Stewart does not feature amongst the matchday squad.

The Scotland international has not featured in the first team since suffering a thigh injury during the warm-up ahead of September's Tees-Wear derby with Middlesbrough.

However, he scored in a midweek behind-closed-doors game against Boro and was in contention for a place in tonight's squad.


SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): Patterson; Gooch, O'Nien, Batth, Alese; Evans, Neil; Diallo, Pritchard, Embleton; Simms.

Subs: Bass, Hume, Cirkin, Dajaku, Roberts, Clarke, Ba.

WEST BROM (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, O'Shea, Pieters, Townsend; Yokuslu, Molumby; Wallace, Swift, Phillips; Thomas-Asante.

Subs: Button, Kelly, Gardner-Hickman, Rogic, Reach, Dike, Grant.